Christmas Youle Log #glutenfree #glutenfreerecipe #Christmas

This gorgeous festive cake is a beautiful addition to any Christmas table. It epitomizes the essence of festive season where beautiful food and the festive spirit are essentially intertwined. A decoration in itself, enjoy the sensory as well as the visual.

Chocolate Sponge

Ingredients:

 

6 Eggs - separated, room temperature. 
2/3 cup Caster Sugar
1 cup gluten-free Corn Flour
1/4 cup gluten-free Plain Flour
1/4 cup Cocoa Powder (optional)
2 teaspoons Baking Powder
Pinch of Salt
1/2 teaspoon Vanilla Essence

Method:

Preheat oven to 180C.
Grease a large thin sponge tray. Line with baking paper on the base.  (30x15cm)
Sift all dry ingredients 4 times.
In a large bowl, beat egg whites and salt for 3 minutes.
Add sugar and beat until stiff peaks form.
Add egg yolks and vanilla.
Mix through gently until just mixed.  
Add dry ingredients, fold in gently with plastic spatula, do not over mix.
Pour into the tray and bake for 20 minutes.
Turn out onto rack, then decorate with cream after cooling.

Chocolate Butter Cream

Ingredients:

400g Butter - room temperature
2/3 cup Caster Sugar
1/4 cup Water
350g Dark Cooking Chocolate - melted
3 cups Icing Sugar - sifted.
1.5 tablespoon Brown Food Colouring (If it is not dark enough.)
2-3 cups Thickened Cream - whipped.
1 tin Fruit Cocktail (400g) - drained

Method:

Boil caster sugar and water on medium heat for 10 minutes.
Set aside to cool.
Beat butter in mix master for about 15 minutes at medium speed, until soft and creamy
Add melted chocolate and sugar water.

Roll in baking paper or tea towel

Beat for a further 10 minutes until smooth.
Add icing sugar and brown food colouring (if necessary) . 
If the butter cream is a little wet and soft, refrigerate for about 20 minutes. For best results, make it a day ahead.
Remove and place the sponge on a large baking paper or clean tea towel.
Spread with half of the whipped thickened cream.
Place drained cocktail fruit on the cream and roll the sponge.
Let it stand about 30 minutes in the fridge to prevent it falling apart.
Spread remaining whipped thickened cream on a large plate or cake board.
Remove the baking paper from the cake roll, spread top and sides with chocolate butter cream.
Using icing spatula, or fork, make stripes in the butter cream to make the cake look like a yule log.
Cut into 2-3 pieces on an angle.
Place them on the whipped cream.
Using a piping bag, decorate end of rolls to look like logs.
Dust some icing sugar on the top and decorate with some Christmas decorations. 

Decorate with icing bag to look like logs

Keeps in the fridge for about 5-7 days

Contact: lee.leehocklai@gmail.com

Arrange rolled sponge on whipped cream

 

Cut and serve!

Rich Fruit Cake #glutenfree #glutenfreebaking #Christmas

With Christmas just around the corner, it is time to bake your Christmas cake. Treat your guests during the festive season, or give this classic cake as a gift to family or friends. Begin your preparations now as this rich fruit cake can keep up to 3 months in a cool place, and it will be richer in flavour and even more delicious after 2 weeks. 

 Ingredients:

150g Butter - softened
1/3 cup Brown Sugar*
4 large Eggs
1 cup gluten-free Plain Flour
1 cup gluten-free Self Raising Flour
1 tablespoon Mixed Spice
250g Walnut or Pecan Nuts
1/2 cup Brandy, extra

A: 

1/4 cup Hot Water
2 tablespoons Jam (Any flavour is suitable, I use plum jam )
1 tablespoon Instant Coffee

B:

Stand overnight

1 kg Mixed Dried Fruit 
250g glace cherries
200g Pitted Prunes - halved
1/2 cup Brandy
1/3 cup Sweet Sherry or Port
1/3 cup Honey or Treacle
Combine all ingredients B, cover and stand overnight.

Method:

Preheat oven to 140C
Grease and double line a 24cm deep baking tin with baking paper. If possible, use a square tin as it is easier to slice.
Sift flour and mixed spice 3 times.
Mix ingredients A together, set aside to cool.

In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar until soft and creamy. 
Add eggs one by one.
Add ingredients A.
Pour 2/3 of dry ingredients in the mixture. Mix well.
Drain the ingredients B.  
Add into the mixture with remaining 1/3 of dry ingredients.
Mix well and pour into the baking tin. 
Spread and smooth the top with plastic spatula. 
Bake at 140C for 1 hour. Reduce to 130C for another 1- 1.5 hours until a skewer comes out of the middle totally clean 
Remove cake from oven. 
Brush the top with extra brandy.
Cover with a dry tea towel or aluminum foil.
Allow to cool in the tin overnight.
Turn out from tin. 
Remove the baking paper.
Brush whole cake with brandy, then wrap with aluminum foil and put into fridge or cold place.
* I only use 1/4 cup sugar as the fruit is already very sweet, but you can add more sugar if you like.

Tips:
Whisky can be used to replace Brandy
Cut the cake when it is just removed from fridge. Allow to come to room temperature.

Contact: lee.leehocklai@gmail.com 

 

Chocolate Cupcakes #glutenfree #glutenfreebaking #glutenfreerecipe

This is an easy classic treat for everyone. After all everyone loves chocolate! If you have kids at home, cook these gorgeous cupcakes with them. Let them decorate the
cakes with their favourite lollies. You will have a lot of fun in the kitchen, so forget about the mess and disaster. Enjoy family time in the kitchen, your kids will learn some great skills, acquire a love of cooking, and  produce some yummy treats...

Cupcakes

Ingredients:

200g Butter - room temperature
1 cup Brown Sugar
5 Eggs - separated 
1/2 cup Evaporated Milk
3 cups gluten-free Self Raising Flour
1/2 cup Cocoa Powder
150g Dark Chocolate - melted

Method:

Preheat oven to 170C
Beat butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. 
Add egg yolks one by one, mix well. 
Add melted chocolate and milk.
In another clean bowl, whisk egg white until stiff peaks form . 
Pour half of egg white into the mixture, fold in gently with plastic spatula.
Add dry ingredients into the mixture, remember to mix gently and do not over mix. 
Add remaining egg white. 
Spoon the mixture into the papers until 80% full. 
Bake at 170C about 30 minutes or until the skewer comes out clean in the middle. (The baking time may differ depending upon the size of the papers)
Cool on a rack, decorate with chocolate frosting.

Chocolate Frosting

Ingredients:

150g Butter
250g Dark Chocolate
2/3 cup Thickened Cream
3 cups Icing Sugar*

Method:

Chop chocolate into small pieces. 
Place in bowl and melt over saucepan of boiling water. 
Add thickened cream and mix well. 
Set aside and allow to cool.
Beat butter in a bowl until white and creamy. 
Add chocolate. 
Add icing sugar (*you can add extra icing sugar if the mixture too wet and soft or, refrigerate for 20 minutes)
Use piping bag and nozzle to decorate the cupcake. 
Decorate with your choice of decoration (m&m, strawberry, icing flowers)
Makes about 20 regular cupcakes.

Contact:lee.leehocklai@gmail.com

Amaretto Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Ganache #glutenfree #glutenfreebaking

Smooth in texture and decadent in taste this sophisticated chocolate cake is the perfect way to spoil the special person in your life for that special occasion. 

Chocolate Cake

Ingredients:

250g Butter - room temperature
2/3 cup Brown Sugar (If you prefer a sweeter cake use 1 cup)
5 large Eggs - separated
1 cup Ground Almond Meal
1 cup gluten-free Self Raising Flour
1/3 cup Cocoa Powder
150g Dark Chocolate
1/3 cup Amaretto Almond Liqueur


Method:

Preheat oven to 180C
Grease a large cake tin and line with baking paper. (Approx 20cm tin.)
Chop chocolate to small pieces.
Place into a bowl and melt over a saucepan of boiling water.
Add Amaretto Liqueur and mix well. Set aside to cool.
In a large bowl, beat butter and brown sugar until smooth and creamy.
Add egg yolks one by one.
Add chocolate liqueur and mix well.
Sift the flour and cocoa powder together 2 times, add ground almond meal.
Add the dry ingredients into the mixture, use the spatula to combine the mixtures gently.
In another clean bowl, beat egg white until stiff peaks form.
Gently fold into the chocolate mixture. Do not over mix to make sure you can have a soft and puffy moist cake soon.
Place in oven and bake in 180C about 65 minutes or until firm and skewer comes out clean in the middle (Reduce to 170C for last 20 minutes if top begins to burn.)
Remove from oven, leave in the tin for 10 minutes, then turn out and cool on the rack.
Spread with chocolate ganache and decorate.

Chocolate Ganache

Ingredients:

250g Dark Chocolate
50g Butter
2/3 cup Thickened Cream

Method:

Chop the chocolate to small pieces.
Place in bowl with butter and melt over a saucepan of boiling water.
Add cream and mix well. Add some extra cream if too thick.
Cut the cake to 2 layers, spread some ganache between the 2, then over the top and sides.
Cool in the fridge about 30 minutes.
Cut into slices with hot knife.
Great to serve with vanilla ice cream or thick cream.

Tips:

• Add another layer of chocolate ganache after the cake has cooled for a richer taste and look.

• Refrigerate in container, and warm in the microwave before serving.

Contact: lee.leehocklai@gmail.com

Choc Orange Jaffa Cake #glutenfree #glutenfreerecipe #glutenfreebaking

This  is a soft, light and moist cake that is suitable to serve at anytime. This is a two layer cake so you can add any flavour you like :- coffee, vanilla, strawberry, chocolate, green tea.... I baked a large cake (40 x 22cm) and it is still very soft and moist after three days. You can halve the ingredients to make a medium sized cake if you wish.

Ingredients:

Gently fold whisked egg whites into the mixture

10 large Eggs, separated
180g Caster Sugar (Add more if you like a sweeter cake)
100g Vegetable Oil
80ml Milk
150g gluten-free Self Raising Flour
Orange Juice from 1 Orange, about 1/3 cup
Orange Rind from 1 Orange
40g Cocoa Powder + 1/3 cup Warm Water
1 teaspoon Cream of Tartar
Pinch of Salt

Method:

Preheat oven to 170C
Grease a large baking tray base and line with baking paper.
Sieve self raising flour 3 times
In a large bowl, cream the egg yolk, half of the sugar, oil, milk, salt until smooth.
In another large bowl, whisk the egg white and cream of tartar for 2 minutes, add the other half of the sugar. 
Whisk until stiff peaks form.
Add half whisked egg white and all flour into the egg yolk mixture. 
Fold in well with plastic spatula.
Add the other half of egg white.

Separate the mixture to 2 parts : 

Part 1 -Mix with orange juice and rind. 
Part 2 - Mix with cocoa powder combined with water.

Remember to stir gently when you add the egg white as this makes the cake soft and fluffy after  baking.
Pour the chocolate mixture onto the bottom of the pan and spread well. 
Pour the orange mixture on the top and spread.
Bake in oven 170C first 15 minutes. Then change to 160C and bake another 45 minutes or until the skewer comes out clean from the middle.
Take out the cake from the oven and rest in the tray for 10 minutes. 
Use a small knife to go around the edges to loosen.
Turn out from the tray and let it cool on the rack upside down.
Cut into small pieces and store in airtight container.

Tips:

You can use melted butter to replace the vegetable oil. 
Sprinkle with icing sugar or serve with cream if you like.

Contact: lee.leehocklai@gmail.com

East meets West Tiramisu #glutenfree #italiancooking #japanesegreentea

On my business cards we say our cooking is where east meets west.... In this classic Italian dessert I have used Japanese green tea for decorating. It compliments the bitter sweet chocolate and coffee flavour, to take you to a new and special taste experience.

Sponge

Ingredients:

Fold egg whites gently into mixture

5 Eggs, separated
1/2 cup Caster Sugar
1/3 cup Vegetable Oil or Melted Butter
3/4 cup gluten-free Self Raising Flour
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
2 tablespoons Milk or Cold Water

Method:

Preheat oven to 180C
Grease and line the base of 40 x 25cm sponge tray with baking paper.
The sponge needs to be cut into two after baking.
I use a 20 x 15cm plastic container to make this dessert. If you do not have a large sponge tray, make 2 smaller sponges.
Beat the egg yolks, sugar, oil vanilla and milk in a bowl until light in colour. 
In a clean bowl, whisk egg white until stiff peaks form.
Fold the egg whites into the mixture and gently mix well.
Add flour using the plastic spatula to combine gently.
Pour into greased tray and bake for about 20 minutes of until the skewer come out clean in the middle.

Cool on a rack. 

Filling

 Ingredients:

250g Mascarpone Cheese
1 cup Thickened Cream
2/3 cup Caster Sugar ( you can add more if you like )
3 Egg Yolks
4 Egg Whites
2 tablespoons Galliano Liqueur ( or Marsala, Tia Maria, rum...)

Method:

In a large bowl, beat mascarpone, Galliano liqueur and half of the sugar until smooth.
In another bowl, whisk the egg yolk and remaining sugar until light creamy colour.
Add mixtures together and mix well.
In separate bowls beat the thickened cream and egg white until stiff peaks form.
Add to the mascarpone/egg yolk mixture and gently mix in with a spatula.

Coffee Liqueur

1 cup Strong Black Coffee
1/2 cup Tia Maria or Kahlua liqueur

Mix the coffee liqueur together.  Keep aside

Decorating

Ingredients:

Bitter sweet chocolate powder
Japanese green tea powder

Method:
.
Cut the sponge into 2 (if you use the large tray).
Place one sponge into the plastic container.
Brush with the coffee liqueur until sponge cake is wet.
Pour half the filling mixture on top of the cake and spread well.
Place another sponge on the top and brush with coffee liqueur.
Spread the remaining mixture on the top.
Cover with the baking paper or lid, refrigerate over night.
Cut into small pieces and put on the plate.
Sieve half coco powder and half green tea powder on the top.
Decorate with seasonal fruit and cream.
Use a spring form tin to make a whole tiramisu as a special occasion cake.

Contact: lee.leehocklai@gmail.com

Banana Chocolate Chip Walnut Cake #glutenfree #bananacake

Father's day will coming soon. You can make this classic, simple cake and decorate yourself. Show your Dad how much you love him and what it means to have him in your life. Or, simply make for morning/afternoon tea to share with friends and family. Enjoy!!

 Ingredients:

250g Butter - room temperature
1 cup Brown Sugar (If you do not wish to top with cream cheese icing use 1.5 cups of sugar for a slightly sweeter cake.)
5 Eggs - separated
3.5 cups gluten-free Self Raising Flour

3 large ripe Bananas - mashed
1/3 cup Evaporated Milk
1/2 teaspoon Baking Powder
1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda
1/2 teaspoon Salt
2/3 cup Walnuts - roasted and chopped
2/3 cup Dark/Milk Chocolate Chips

 Method:

Preheat oven to 180C
Grease a large cake tin and line with baking paper. Or you can use 2 regular loaf tins too.
Beat butter, salt and sugar until soft and smooth. 
Add egg yolks one by one. 
Add mashed bananas and baking soda, combine well.
In another clean bowl, beat egg whites until firm peaks foam. 
Sift baking powder and half the flour into the banana mixture. 
Add half  beaten egg white and evaporated milk, fold through gently until combined well.

Now is the last step, this is very important to ensure your gluten free cake is as soft and high as a cake made with conventional flour:-

Add remaining half of the flour, chocolate chips and walnuts. 
Fold through gently using a plastic spatula. 
Add remaining egg white, fold through.
Pour into the tin and bake in 180C for 20 minutes. 
Bake at 170C for 30 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean from the middle.
Remove from the oven, let rest in the tin for 10 minutes.
Turn out and cool on rack.
Decorate with cream cheese icing or, sprinkle with icing sugar and serve with thickened cream or ice cream.

Topping:

30g Butter
80g Cream Cheese
1 tablespoon Lemon Juice
2 tablespoons Milk
2- 2.5 cups Icing Sugar

Method:

Beat butter, cream cheese, lemon juice and milk until soft and smooth. 
Add icing sugar, stir till combined.

Contact: lee.leehocklai@gmail.com

Chocolate Tarts #glutenfree #glutenfreerecipe #pastry #chocolate

This is an easy classic sweet dish. I used the leftover pastry dough from the Bacon Ricotta Pie to make the pastry bases 2 days ahead. This meant I only spent 10 minutes preparing the filling 1-2 hours before serving. If you not have leftover pastry dough,  make a batch from the previous recipe - Remember, try to make extra pastry shells to keep in the freezer or airtight container so you have some on hand to whip up a quick dessert or snack. I am pleased to share my recipes and experiences with you, please keep check our blog, more to come...

Pastry Dough

Please check our Bacon Ricotta Pie blog for the pastry recipe. You can use any size pie plate or baking tins you wish. As this dessert filling does not require baking in the oven, the pie shells need to be completely cooked before filling. 
The cooking times are as follows - small: bake in 180C for 15 minutes. 
Large: cover the base with baking paper, fill with rice or baking beads, bake 10 minutes in 180C.
Remove the paper, rice or beads, bake another 10-15 minutes or light brown in the center. 

Filling

Ingredients:

180g gluten-free Dark/Milk Cooking Chocolate
2/3 cup Thickened Cream
20g Butter

Method:

Bring water to the boil in a saucepan. Do not overfill as this is to be used as a double boiler to make the chocolate filling.
Place chocolate and butter into a bowl.
Place the bowl into the saucepan 2 minutes - the water level should be sufficient to come halfway up the outside of the bowl. 
Stir until chocolate and butter have melted.
Pour in thickened cream and stir until smooth. 
Do not let the chocolate boil, heat only until it has melted and mixed to a smooth consistency with the other ingredients.
Pour the chocolate filling into the tart base, let it cool and set at the room temperature for 1-2 hours. If you are in a hurry, set them in the fridge.
Sprinkle with icing sugar and decorate with thickened cream and fresh berries.

Tips:

• Buy a good brand chocolate, it may little more expensive but will give you a better result and a full rich chocolate flavour.

Contact: lee.leehocklai@gmail.com 

**** Our next recipes will be a series of 'How to make your own Homemade Sauces' which includes the forever favourites of Tomato, Barbeque and so on! Look for our next post on Sunday! Why not click on our 'Follow by email Button' in the sidebar and pop in your email address so our recipes simply pop into your inbox whenever we post. That way you will be sure not to miss out on any of them as they come on line.